


Heal the Body, (But You Can't) Heal the Heart

by Rapis_Razuri



Series: Blossoms & Brynhildr [4]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Hoshido | Birthright Route, LeoSaku Week 2016, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 20:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8938558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rapis_Razuri/pseuds/Rapis_Razuri
Summary: Prince Leo of Nohr was a stranger to her, an enemy commander that just tried to kill them and one of King Garon’s children at that. She had no business feeling sympathy for him, but soft as she was, she did so anyway.[LeoSaku Week Day 4: Magic]





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Magic  
> Word Count: 1167  
> Notes: Birthright route.

He made his first kill at eleven. A thief without a name and a man whose face he can’t even remember. What he _did_ remember was his father watching him with hard eyes, how his magic tutor had fidgeted nervously, the rush of his magic, and a scream. Father patted his head and praised him for a job well done. His heart had swelled in pride, but then he looked back, just long enough to look back to see the body, covered in burns, twitch for the last time.

That anonymous thief had been the first of many. He continued as his father commanded, looked each man or woman in the eyes, saw their regrets or their defiance, heard their last words and then he ends them with a spell.

It got easier, but at the same time it didn’t. For every life he attempted to save behind his father's back, he was forced to take another. Maybe it’s only for his own benefit, because he knew that if he ever lost his conscience and became his father’s sycophant, he would be no better than the likes of Iago. He took no pleasure in it, but he has reason - to punish, to conquer, to protect his family and future and so he doesn’t falter.

But now, against his traitorous brother, he does. Corrin, his Nohrian armor replaced with the white and gold of Hoshido and a matching cape - the cape angered Leo most. Was Corrin so spoiled and ignorant that he never once stopped to think about the time and love Camilla put into sewing the blue one for him?! - reached him first, that golden sword in hand.

Leo raised his. A mass of purple light was pulled from his tome, words are exchanged (“ _Did you really mean what you said earlier? Have you...have you really always hated me? Because...I've always loved you.”_ ) and he told himself what comes out of that _traitor's_ mouth didn't matter ( _“There's no point in answering that. It's all over now.”_ ) because he was going to stop Corrin and these Hoshidans right here or they will only be able to proceed to the capital _over his dead body_ -

For once, his plans fail both ways. Neither happens. Perhaps Brynhildr could sense the doubt he harbored deep within his heart, because when he gets a perfect chance to finish Corrin once and for all… he doesn’t.

When his horse rears, when he lands painfully on his side, when he feels the pain of broken bones, Leo found himself thinking of the last piece of advice his tutor had to give him from behind bars.

_Not hate, my prince, but love._

* * *

Prince Leo of Nohr didn’t seem nearly as scary lying before her as she held her rod over him in one hand, healing the (thankfully non-fatal) injuries he had gained during his duel with Corrin. The rest of the family and everyone else were taking care of the rest of the Faceless while their defeated puppet master was left in her care.

The graveyard had been creepy enough - Sakura had been holding onto Takumi the entire time and still didn’t feel all that better - but then _he_ appeared, reminding her of a spirit of death, dressed in black armor and his command over an army of the dead, an impression that solidified more as he made a promise to take her brother's life as payment for his sins.

But still… she heard him quite clearly, didn’t she? (“ _Xander always lavished you with praise while ignoring my accomplishments... Camilla was the same. She...she always loved you more than me! You were Xander's perfect little toy soldier and Camilla's dress-up doll! I've always resented you for that, Brother. I've been keeping all this in for so long, but it doesn't matter anymore.”)_

None of that sounded like anything a grim reaper would say. She never resented Corrin. How could she when Mother and Ryoma and Hinoka were so overjoyed to have him back? When she was so happy to finally meet him? But hearing those words come out of his mouth, even if they were a curse to Corrin…

They reminded her of the times when she thought Ryoma and Hinoka loved their absent brother more than they loved her.

“Y-you…” The Nohrian prince was awake now. Even unarmed and vulnerable like this, there was an intensity in his eyes that made her shiver.

“Y-you shouldn't try to move j-just yet,” Sakura advised, despite her tightening grip on the Silence rod on the ground beside her. (“I don’t care _what_ Corrin says about him,” Takumi had ranted as he unceremoniously dropped the unconscious mage at her feet, “If he does _anything_ remotely suspicious, you muzzle him, got it?”). “Y-you t-took a b-bad fall and um, y-your injuries a-are still healing...”

Naturally, he didn’t listen to her, but with the way he winced and hissed in pain, he ended up being forced to lie down again. “My tome,” he rasped, “Brynhildr. Where is it?”

Sakura grabbed the book Corrin had handed to her (“It's important to him. Make sure you keep it safe, okay?”) and held it so he could see. “R-right here,” she said, “B-but I-I c-can’t let you h-have it back y-yet. I-I’m sorry…”

He didn’t look too happy at her for laying hands on his weapon. For a moment, Sakura thought he was going to try to force her to give it back, but instead he merely grunted, “And what of my retainers?”

“I-I don’t know,” she set Brynhildr onto her lap, holding tightly onto its spine. She could feel it’s power pulsing through her dress, but it didn’t hurt her for keeping it from its master. “Th-they were both defeated, b-but they managed to escape. I-I don’t know i-if anyone was sent after t-them, I'm afraid…”

“I see...” he sighed - out of relief? - and turned away from her. He had nothing else to say to her, but she didn’t mind. His words from before the battle still rang in her memories, as did his dazed, disbelieving mutterings (“ _No...I can't fall like this... Not until I prove myself…_ ”) as she tended to him.

Everything he said… they made her think of Kaze falling into the ravine, his guilt over Corrin’s kidnapping making him feel like it was what he deserved; of Flora of the Ice Tribe setting herself ablaze, unable to live with the fact that she knelt to the man who killed her father because she was afraid to die; of Corrin wondering what had happened to his little brother back in Izumo…

Prince Leo of Nohr was a stranger to her, an enemy commander that just tried to kill them and one of King Garon’s children at that. She had no business feeling sympathy for him, but soft as she was, she did so anyway.

(And she wondered, not for the first time, what would happen to Nohr after King Garon was gone.)

**Author's Note:**

> The title and the last line in Leo's section are the slightly modified descriptions of the White Mage Lore and the Black Mage Lore items from Dissidia Final Fantasy.


End file.
